12.1 The Library has, over a long period, developed extensive collections relating to Asia. These collections have attained outstanding strength and offer scholars research opportunities not available in other Australian libraries and matched by only a few overseas libraries. Specialist staff with appropriate language skills are employed to acquire and catalogue the Asian collections and provide a reference service to onsite and offsite users of the Asian Collections. The Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai and Indonesian collections in particular are a national resource, and in building on the strengths of the collections the Library makes a valuable contribution to scholars, the Australian library community and the national collection.
12.2 The Library’s collecting from Asia focuses on East Asia (China, Japan, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea, and Taiwan), South-East Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and to a lesser extent South Asia (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka). For East and South-East Asia, vernacular language publications are acquired as well as those in Western language, both from and about the region. Works from South Asia are generally acquired in English language only. Collecting from some countries lacking an established export book trade is subject to the availability of publications through local suppliers.
12.3 The Library acquires a small number of publications in English from the countries of West Asia (Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen), more generally identified in Australia as the Middle East. Materials in the languages of West Asia are generally not acquired. The Library does not collect from the countries of Central Asia but acquires a representative selection of works in English about both West Asia and Central Asia.
12.4 Collecting on China, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Indonesia is at the research level (Conspectus level 4). The remaining South-East Asian countries and India are assigned intermediate level (Conspectus Level 3), with the proviso that the vernacular languages of India are not collected. Other countries of the South Asia region are assigned Collecting Level 2 (basic), subject to the availability of materials.
12.5 The Library’s East Asian, Thai and Indonesian collections have considerable strengths in modern history and contemporary societies and cultures and as such are world-class. The Library collects a wide range of research materials and sustained acquisition efforts since the 1950s using commercial suppliers, gift, exchange and in-country buying have resulted in significant holdings of monographs, journals, government publications and newspapers for all of these countries.
12.6 There are important but small holdings of rare and original East Asian items to which the Library does not add, but outstanding examples with significant information content which add to existing holdings may occasionally be acquired.
12.7 The Library adds regularly to its extensive microform and reprint holdings, particularly for China and Japan. These include backsets of newspapers and microfilmed collections of primary source documentation in the subject areas described below.
12.8 Electronic resources such as CD-ROMs and web-based databases and resources are acquired where they meet the collecting policy outlined below. Additional principles observed when selecting electronic resources are integrity of the information contained in the resource, ease of access, ease of use and cost-effectiveness.
12.9 Collecting from China focuses on history, the social sciences and to a lesser extent the humanities. The highest priority historical period is the modern (after 1911), while significant works on earlier periods of China’s history which provide context to the modern period are also acquired. Works on political science, government, foreign relations, economics, law, education, social issues, geography and travel are acquired. Works on China’s minority and indigenous groups are particularly sought. A representative selection of works on the literatures and languages of China is acquired, including classic texts issued in reprinted form. There are also extensive holdings of Chinese series (cong shu) and provincial yearbooks which are added to as new volumes are issued.
12.10 Works on Chinese culture and the arts are acquired, with a lesser emphasis on works on religion and philosophy. Works on popular culture in China and materials documenting topical issues are also acquired. The principle for selection of such works is whether the work provides additional context for a broader understanding of China, its development to the modern era and its place in the modern world, whether historically, culturally or politically.
12.11 Works in Chinese on the pure sciences are not collected. A limited number of works in the applied sciences is acquired, such as works on agriculture, the environment and traditional medicine. The Library maintains a number of in-demand paper copy Chinese journal titles in the medical sciences, but future additions will be made only through electronic databases.
12.12 Collecting from Japan focuses on history, the social sciences and to a lesser extent the humanities. The highest priority historical period is the post-Meiji era (1868 onwards), including works on Japan’s development as a modern power in the early twentieth century, its imperial expansion and the lead-up to World War Two and the occupation of Japan by Allied forces. Works documenting Japan’s early relations with the West and foreign settlement in Japan are also acquired, as they complement a major collecting strength.
12.13 Works on Japanese politics, government, foreign relations, economics, law, education, social issues, geography and travel are acquired. The Library is a depository library for Japanese government publications supplied by the National Diet Library of Japan resulting in a key strength in Japanese government.
12.14 Works on Japan’s minority and indigenous groups such as the Ainu of Okinawa are particularly sought.
12.15 A representative selection of works on the literatures and languages of Japan is acquired, including popular forms such as manga (comics).
12.16 Works on Japanese culture and the arts are acquired, with a lesser emphasis on works on religion and philosophy. Works documenting Japanese popular culture and topical issues are also acquired. The principle for selection of such works is whether the work provides additional context for a broader understanding of Japan and its place in the modern world, whether historically, culturally or politically.
12.17 Works in Japanese on the pure sciences are not collected. The Library acquires a limited number of works in the applied sciences, such as works on agriculture, the environment and modern Japanese management practices. The Library maintains a number of in-demand paper copy Japanese journal titles in the sciences and medicine, but new titles are not actively sought.
12.18 The Library collects works from and about both the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Collecting focuses on history, the social sciences and to a lesser extent the humanities. The highest priority historical period is the twentieth century, covering the period of Japanese occupation (1911 to 1945) and onwards. Attention is given to the history of relations between north and south Korea and regional strategic issues. Works on political science, government, foreign relations, economics, law, education, social issues, geography and travel are acquired. A representative selection of works on the literature and language of Korea is acquired, including classic texts issued in reprinted form.
12.19 Current works from North Korea are acquired although availability depends on supply.
12.20 Works on Korean culture and the arts are acquired, with a lesser emphasis on works on religion and philosophy. Works documenting popular culture and topical issues are acquired. The principle for selection of such works is whether the work provides additional context for a broader understanding of Korea, its relations in the region and its development up to the modern era, whether historically, culturally or politically.
12.21 Works in Korean on the pure sciences are not collected.
12.22 Collecting from South-East Asia is strongest for Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, which are dealt with separately below. For the remaining nations of the region — Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam — collecting is at intermediate level (Conspectus level 3). Collecting from Myanmar relies on a gift and exchange program.
12.23 As with other countries of the East Asian region, collecting focuses on the modern history and contemporary societies and cultures of South-East Asia. This includes early history, periods of colonial occupation, the post World War Two period and inter-regional developments to the present day.
12.24 Works on political science, government, foreign relations, economics, law, education, social issues and development issues are acquired. Government publications are selectively acquired.
12.25 Collecting in literature and languages of the South-East Asian countries is at a lower level, acquiring acknowledged authors and in translation where available. Works on South-East Asian linguistics generally are selectively acquired and, where available, in English language.
12.26 Works on culture and the arts in South-East Asia are selectively acquired, with a lesser emphasis on works on religion and philosophy where this provides context to broader social trends.
12.27 South-East Asian publishing on the pure sciences is not collected. A limited number of works in the applied sciences is acquired, such as works on agriculture, the environment and traditional medicine.
12.28 The Library’s Indonesian collection is one of the best contemporary research collections in the world, built by over thirty years’ collecting from its acquisitions office in Jakarta. The collection has particular strengths in government and politics, the social sciences, economics, statistics, law, education, social issues and development issues. Publications documenting relations between the central government and the regions, including ethnic minorities, are acquired.
12.29 In building its Indonesian collection the Library acquires commercially and non-commercially published books and journals, newspapers, government publications and a broad range of materials representative of Indonesian society and current affairs. This will occasionally include semi-published materials of an ephemeral nature which cast light upon events or issues, such as election ephemera, posters and pamphlets.
12.30 A representative selection of works on the literatures of Indonesia is acquired, emphasising the modern period and including popular as well as literary fiction. Works on and in minority languages are acquired where available. Collecting on culture and the arts focuses on traditional and indigenous cultures and arts rather than modern artists and movements in Indonesia.
12.31 Materials documenting popular culture and topical issues are selectively acquired. The principle for selection of such works is whether it provides additional context for a broader understanding of Indonesia, its development and its place in the modern world, whether historically, culturally or politically.
12.32 Like the Indonesian collection, the Library’s Thai, Khmer and Lao collections have been built over many years by patient acquisitions work and the development of good institutional and personal contacts in the region. While Thailand has an established export book trade, publications from Cambodia and Laos are acquired almost exclusively through institutional and personal contacts as the two countries lack an established book trade, and publishing output is small. As a result the Library’s Khmer and Lao collections although small in number are amongst the best in the world.
12.33 The Thai collection has outstanding strengths in government and politics, the social sciences, economics, statistics, law, education, social issues and development issues. A broad range of publications is sought documenting modern Thailand. A particular strength is a comprehensive collection of Thai ‘cremation volumes’ — biographies written after death. Publications documenting regional development, ethnic minorities and relations with neighbours are also acquired. Similar materials are sought for Cambodia and Laos.
12.34 A representative selection of works on the literatures and languages of Thailand, Cambodia and Laos is acquired. Works on minority languages are acquired.
12.35 Collecting on culture and the arts focuses on traditional and indigenous cultures and arts rather than modern artists and movements in Thailand.
12.36 Materials documenting popular culture and topical issues are selectively acquired. The principle for selection of such works is whether it provides additional context for a broader understanding of Thailand, its development and its place in the modern world, whether historically, culturally or politically.
12.37 Collecting from South Asia aims to complement existing strengths. Collecting from India is at intermediate level (Conspectus level 3) and for the other countries of the South Asia region collecting is at the basic level (Conspectus level 2), subject to the availability of materials.
12.38 The Library has significant holdings of western language monographs, serials and newspapers on South Asia, with an emphasis on contemporary social sciences. Government publications at the national level are an important component. Most holdings are from India, with smaller collections from Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Collections from other parts of the region are not extensive. Older materials include extensive holdings of British colonial government publications.
12.39 Collecting continues to concentrate on significant and current social, political, economic and cultural issues in the region. English language material only is collected from South Asia and is supplemented by English language material on the region published elsewhere in the world.
12.40 The Library has a number of longstanding Asian collecting agreements with the Library of the Australian National University, Canberra. These are documented within a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions (agreed 2005).
12.41 An agreement is in place for Chinese provincial and major city statistical yearbooks, under which the Australian National University collects such titles from Northern and Western China while the National Library collects from central and Southern China. Further agreements are under consideration.
12.42 The long-standing agreement for Japanese Materials between the Australian National University and the National Library of Australia covering Japanese language sources assigns primary responsibility for collecting in the humanities and pre-1868 Japanese history to the Australian National University and collecting in the social sciences and post-1868 Japanese history to the National Library.
12.43 Under the agreement between the National Library of Australia and the Australian National University Library for collecting and providing access to Korean vernacular materials, the National Library continues to develop a research level collection of Korean language materials, while the Australian National University develops a basic, mainly Western language, collection on Korea to support undergraduate teaching. The National Library continues, as appropriate, to explore the possibility of further agreements on Korean collecting.